Joshua Y'Barbo

Interview with Paige Doran By Joshua Y'Barbo  Paige Doran is a textile artist and designer investigating the benefits and the problems of using AI to generate virtual textiles and physical products for the textile and craft industries. Doran prefers tactile weaving designs that can be touched over digital replications of AI-generated designs.  Weave 1-6 (2023),  Cotton yarn and paper yarn, by  Paige Doran MA Textile Design Joshua Y'Barbo (JY):  Tell me about your practice: What do you make work about? How do you go about making your work? What do you think about when making your work? Do you still make work? Paige Doran (PD): My practice primarily concentrates on colour and texture. I gain inspiration from photography; I love noticing natural colour combinations I see day-to-day and then translating this into technical hand-woven samples. My MA practice is an inquiry into the enhancement and/or hindrance of adding AI-generated and virtual textiles to the textil...

Interview with Yuyang (Lily) Wei By Joshua Y'Barbo Study of a Taihu Rock ( 2023),   Oil on canvas, by  Lily Wei BA (Hons) Fine Art Joshua Y'Barbo (JY):  Tell me about your practice. What do you make work about? How do you go about making your work? What do you think about when making your work? Do you still make work? Yuyang (Lily) Wei (LW):  One of my investigations is the struggle of antique repatriation from the side of the origin country/ community.  In an increasingly cosmopolitan society, citizens of all nationalities and cultures are becoming more local in whichever country they are on the planet. However, by decreasing attention to cultural diversity and promoting the cultural homogenisation and commercialisation of culture, 'encyclopaedic' museums are ignoring their own participation in unfortunate historical events, supporting cruel conquests under the guise of education. Foraging the museums of London and beyond, I search for misplaced Chinese an...

 Interview with Dirk Tsai Petrichor III  ( 2023),  Acrylic and spray paint on canvas, by  Dirk Tsai (Ya Ke Tsai) MA Fine Ar Joshua Y'Barbo (JY):  Tell me about your practice: What do you make work about? How do you go about making your work? What do you think about when making your work? Do you still make work? Dirk Tsai (DT):   Yes, I do still make artwork. Now, I am working on blurring the line between the painting and the sculpture. Actually, I have made a lot of artwork. The concept is about taking down the limitations, standards, and definitions of society, but I only focused on pure painting. Then I realized that the biggest limitation was the frame of the painting and the size you got. Therefore, I started to extend the stretch bar of painting and expected how crazy it could be. As a result, there is one thing that I am doing now, is challenging everything from traditional. JY:  How was studying and finishing your degree? What had the most impac...

Interview with Gengjun Fan by Joshua Y'Barbo They All Lie to You (2023),  Painting Installation, by  Gengjun Fan MA Fine Art Joshua Y'Barbo (JY): Tell me about your practice: What do you make work about? How do you go about making your work? What do you think about when making your work? Do you still make work? Gengjun Fan (GF): Hi, I am Fan Gengjun, a visual artist and writer. I have often pondered the location of photography as a media paradigm in contemporary art practice. I believe that in contemporary culture, photography is almost everything, the plane of immanence: photography is the screen, advertising, consumption, desire, Instagram; photography is autopilot, algorithm, agency, perjury; photography is the screen, advertising, consumption, desire, Instagram. I believe that in contemporary culture, photography is almost everything, the plane of immanence: photography is the screen, advertising, consumption, desire, Instagram; photography is autopilot, algorithm, agen...

 Interview with Pallavi Verma  by Joshua Y'Barbo A Wild-Escape: Woven through Conversations (2023), Textiles (nettle yarn), by Pallavi Verma  Joshua Y'Barbo (JY) : Tell me about your practice. What do you make work about? How do you go about making your work? What do you think about when making your work? Do you still make work? Pallavi Verma (PV): I am an artist and weaver passionate about exploring the beauty and healing potential of urban wild plants, often overlooked as mere weeds in urban settings but holding significant value in herbalism. My exploration of foraging and botany highlights our urban disconnect from nature, as we rarely recognise the abundance of edible and medicinal plants around us. Through my weaving and natural dyeing practice, I strive to re-establish the lost connection between people and wild plants. In addition to my personal work, I engage with the public through performative weaving in parks and workshops in community gardens. These spaces ...

  Art Club: Gallery Visit to Sarah Lucas’ Happy Gas at Tate Britain By Joshua Y'Barbo F lorian  and  Kevin  (2015) by Sarah Lucas is displayed at the Tate Britain (2023). Photo by Joshua Y'Barbo As an artist-in-residence for the TEAM LEWIS Foundation and a lecturer at the University of the Arts London , I write Art Clubs for cross-sector audiences and teach various theoretical, practical, and research-based skills transferable across art and design.  This month, I led a group of women from TEAM LEWIS through Sara Lucas’ Happy Gas at the Tate Britain. Doing so allowed me to learn more about and reform my opinion about Lucas’ work and talk about and share these ideas with the group.  Photo by Joshua Y'Barbo The group of young women, who predominately never studied art but are very aware of gender inequality across many aspects of life, initially wanted to see the exhibition because of the giant phallic marrow sculptures  Florian and Kevin (2015) in...

Interview with Hannah Kay By Joshua Y'Barbo Hannah Kay is a multidisciplinary Contemporary Artist who specialises in mixed media textiles, sculpture and installation. Creating ‘situations’ and environments in which the audience can encounter and respond to through the visual and suggested movement of the work creates movement in the viewer.  You can learn more about Hannah's work on her website and follow her on Instagram .  Joshua Y'Barbo (JY):  Tell me about your practice: What do you make work about? How to you go about making your work? What do you think about when making your work? Do you still make work? Hannah Kay (HK):  I am a multidisciplinary textiles artist specialising in sculpture and installation. My works are focused on play, the haptic and consciousness. Through exploring textiles traditions and modern-day living, I create situations and opportunities for the audience to engage, create memories and feel a sense of authority over the works.  My t...

 Interview with Grace McNerney By Joshua Y'Barbo Grace McNerney is a painter and photographer specializing in the practice of looking at where the liminal and mundane meet spectacle, forcing the viewer to pay greater attention and hopefully reverence by exaggerating their scale. Grace's practice delves into universes such as office culture, aeroplane safety, and fake casinos. Within a theme,  she  revels in creating a series spanning everything, from film to sculpture, to painting, based exclusively around the parameters of my present fixation.  You can find out more about Grace's work on her website , follow her on Instagram , and check out her Graduate Show .  Fresh Hell Part 3   (2023) by  Grace McNerney Oil on Canvas BA (Hons) Fine Art Joshua Y'Barbo (JY) : Tell me about your practice: What do you make work about? How to you go about making your work? What do you think about when making your work? Do you still make work? Grace McNerney (GM): ...

 Interview with Lan Zhang by Joshua Y'Barbo According to the Lan Zhang's website ,  Ancient symbols are the most important element in Lanlan Zhang's work. The artist is obsessed with ancient art, believing that the spirit of ancient man is similar to that of modern man living in a technological and material world. Primitive cave cultures and prehistoric cliff paintings and later burial cultures, including indigenous art from ancient Egypt, the Maya, Africa, Asia and elsewhere.  You can see more of Zhange's work on her website and follow her on Instagram .    Where There is You III (2022) by  Lan Zhang Oil on Canvas MA Fine Art Joshua Y'Barbo (JY):  Tell me about your practice: What do you make work about? How to you go about making your work? What do you think about when making your work? Do you still make work? Lan Zhang (LZ):  I'm currently working on a series of pieces about the female characters surrounding single mothers. I'm mainly explori...

 Interview with Gabriella Borges  by Joshua Y'Barbo Gabriella investigates the power of design as material activism for Reproductive Justice. She situated her work at the intersection of textiles and social justice through a fine art perspective. This project is inspired by the historical symbolism that represents freedom and justice in the United States.  You can follow Gabriella on  Instagram ,  find her on  LinkedIn , and see her  graduate showcase .   Administrate Human Rights (2023) by  Gabriella Borges              Secondhand Fabric and Recycled Thread MA Textile Design Joshua Y'Barbo (JY): Tell me about your practice: What do you make work about? How to you go about making your work? What do you think about when making your work? Do you still make work? Gabriella Borges (GB): Within my work, I investigate the power of design as material activism for reproductive justice. Through textiles and histori...

 Interview with Xijun Liao By Joshua Y'Barbo Joshua Y'Barbo (JY): Tell me about your practice: What do you make work about? How to you go about making your work? What do you think about when making your work? Do you still make work? Xijun Liao (XL): I make work about puffer/denim fabrics and also design garment collections based on my materials. By manipulating and recycling new puffer/denim fabrics, I will develop fashion-related ideas based on them. Based on my fashion design background, many garment designs will be created and practised. I am also operating my own clothing brand from my design practices. JY: How was studying and finishing your degree? What had the most impact on the work you made and make now? XL: Studying in the US and the UK feels lucky because I can obtain a genuine global vision from these two influential fashion cities. I am still on my way to finish my MA Textile Design Degree. The textile techniques delivered to me by school helped my creative practic...

  Art Club: Halloween DIY Arts & Crafts By  Joshua Y’Barbo   Oct 2023 As an artist-in-residence for the  TEAM LEWIS Foundatio n and a lecturer for the  MA Global Collaborative Design Practice  at the  University of the Arts London , I write  Art Clubs  for cross-sector audiences and teach a range of theoretical, practical, and research-based skills transferable across art and design.  This month, I designed a fun series of DIY arts and crafts activities, making Halloween decorations and masks.  And not for the results of my efforts!!